Jimmie Johnson and Fernando Alonso will swap NASCAR, Formula 1 cars

Two of the biggest names worldwide in racing – NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson and Formula 1’s Fernando Alonso – finally let everyone else in on the secret they’ve been teasing for months.

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the two-time F1 world champion will swap cars in November at Bahrain International Circuit following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final 2018 race on the F1 schedule. A joint effort between their respective teams, Hendrick Motorsports and McLaren, the drivers made the announcement together by tweeting the same video Friday.

It all started back in January when the two racing greats were talking at a NASCAR media day, and Alonso mentioned something about trying out each other’s very different cars and Johnson jumped at the idea, ESPN reported from NASCAR’s weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. After the NASCAR finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 43-year-old Johnson will jet off to London and work with a simulator.

Via ESPN:

The downforce in the F1 car is about six times that of a NASCAR Cup car, Johnson said. The braking zones are much deeper toward the turn in an F1 car than in a stock car.

“It is the ultimate car,” Johnson said about testing the F1 car. “That’s by design what they’ve created for a vehicle. Our vehicles are much more entertainment-based, certainly a lot of fun to drive.

“But to feel the downforce of one of those cars has always been in the back of my mind. I’ve always wanted to experience it.”

Friday’s announcement, however, isn’t related to the future of either driver. Alonso, 37, is retiring from F1 at the end of the season, and there has been ample speculation about him racing in the IndyCar Series after competing in the 2017 Indianapolis 500.

NASCAR has also lobbied him to try the Daytona 500 in February, and Johnson told ESPN he doesn’t see a full-time Cup Series ride in Alonso’s future.

Johnson is under contract with Hendrick through the 2020 season, and he has yet to seriously talk about retiring. More via ESPN:

“I don’t have anything inked for 2021, but a 45-year-old F1 driver, I don’t think has ever happened,” Johnson said with a laugh. “But I’ll put that out there.”

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